Jeremy Shockey floated open in the Falcons’ zone defense. Eli Manning tapped into his top target again, this time for a completion in the right flat. And the Giants Stadium crowd roared.

Wasn’t this the plan all along? Wasn’t this the spring’s hype come to life, the young, cocky tight end returning to his All-Pro standard and dragging the younger, composed quarterback toward star status of his own.

Sure it was. It just took far too long to materialize, at least according to yesterday’s 78,793-fan chorus in charge of roaring.

Shockey struggled throughout the first half in Manning’s starting debut after nine games as Kurt Warner’s understudy. But come the opening drive of the second half, Shockey again became a reliable receiver, catching four balls for 38 yards, including the Giants’ lone TD in the third quarter.

Shockey, who finished the game with five receptions for 45 yards, also started the game’s final drive with a catch for seven yards. And on fourth and three, Manning looked for him again, but linebacker Keith Brooking broke up the pass. So even though the terrible trumped the terrific, even though it ended Falcons 14, Giants 10 here last night, the home team can take some solace for the birth of a new tandem. For at least one drive, Manning developed synergy with Shockey, and the results changed the scoreboard.

Early on, even after the pair warmed up together moments before kickoff, Shockey dropped the first three passes that came his way. A first-quarter throw, despite a leap, brushed off his fingertips, and a second quarter strike banged off his palms and to the turf. The crowd booed both efforts.

The good times began on the fourth Giants’ snap on the third quarter, when Manning flipped a five-yard pass to Shockey on first-and-10. Two plays later, the duo hooked up again, with Shockey slipping inside linebacker Demorrio Williams and picking up nine yards and a first down.

He’d catch two more throws on the drive, both in typical Shockey fashion. He’d hold his block for about a one count, break down the field between the hash marks, and cradle a throw, usually with a linebacker or safety closing behind him.

The first catch gave the Giants a first down and the Falcons’ 29, and when Shockey returned to the huddle, he slapped Manning helmet. The quarterback returned the gesture with a pat on the back.

Later, after Shockey beat linebacker Chris Draft in the end zone and spiked the ball on the painted “N” in Giants, he found Manning on the sidelines. And in the back, near the Gatorade cooler, and off live television, he wrapped his young buddy in a bear hug.

There was synergy on the sidelines, too. And the chorus in the crowd should have many more days to roar.